In the wake of the success of “The Lion King 3D,” which has earned $80 million in the U.S. in the last three and a half weeks, Disney has announced theatrical re-releases for four of its animated catalog titles in 3-D — “Beauty and the Beast,” “Finding Nemo,” “Monsters Inc.” and “The Little Mermaid.”

The four films will unspool over the next two years, beginning in January with “Beauty and the Beast,” the 1991 hit that became the first animated film to be nominated for an Oscar for best picture. “Finding Nemo,” first released in 2003 and the fourth-highest-grossing animated movie of all time, will follow in 3-D in September 2012. “Monsters Inc.” (2001) will premiere in 3-D in January 2013, six months ahead of its own prequel, “Monsters University,” a new Pixar film due in June of that year. Finally, “The Little Mermaid” will debut in September 2013.

DISNEY AND DISNEY•PIXAR FAVORITES POISED TO RETURN TO THEATERS IN 3D
· Beauty and the Beast – January 13, 2012
· Disney•Pixar’s Finding Nemo – September 14, 2012
· Disney•Pixar’s Monsters, Inc. – January 18, 2013 (Monsters University, a prequel to the original film, arrives in theaters in Disney Digital 3D on June 21, 2013)
· The Little Mermaid – September 13, 2013″

I really hope this is true!! Classic Disney and classic Pixar films on the big screen again… HECK YES!!! Also, if this is true, it means that the 3D version of Beauty and the Beast is finally going to get a wide release (though, if what Jerry Beck says is true… lets hope they’ve improved the 3D quality).

I hope this means, since Lion King did so well in 3D, that Disney will start making and releasing hand-drawn films again. If making more hand-drawn movies means having an option to see them in 3D… that’s totally fine with me!

Since I’m also a CG nut (and a CG animator!), I’m really excited to see Monsters Inc. and Finding Nemo again on the big screen! Now if only they’ll give The Incredibles a re-release…